Tom Vogl
A group of dedicated Mountaineers had an alpine start this morning. Not for a climb, but for our inaugural fundraising breakfast, hosted at the downtown Seattle Sheraton hotel. We’re grateful for the donors, members, volunteers, staff and friends of The Mountaineers who began their day with us. Through the generous support of nearly 300 attendees and corporate sponsors, we raised over $110,000!
The theme of the breakfast, “Protecting the Outdoor Experience”, was a celebration of 110 years of The Mountaineers and 100 years of our National Parks. It was also a look into our future. In my opening comments I shared highlights of our recent work in Youth, Volunteers, and Conservation. These pillars are critical to the future of outdoor recreation and our public lands.
Building on this success, inclusion is an essential priority for The Mountaineers and for everyone who cares about the future of our wild places. Our country is becoming more and more ethnically diverse, yet communities of color are underrepresented as visitors to our public lands. People protect what they love and they love what they know. Making the outdoors a comfortable and welcoming place for all people is the right thing to do and will help protect the outdoor experience for future generations of Mountaineers.
Our guest speakers today gave us new insights into diversity and inclusion. We heard from Sally McCoy, former CEO of Camelbak who shared her personal story about overcoming gender bias in the outdoor industry, becoming an accomplished business executive and a vocal advocate for issues such as conservation, sustainability and diversity. Chip Jenkins, Deputy Regional Director of the National Parks Service highlighted efforts underway to make our public lands more accessible to all people, especially programs that reach kids in communities that are increasingly diverse.
We also heard inspiring messages about the past and future of The Mountaineers from 64-year member, Helen Engle, and 19-year old member Sarah Anderson (Mountaineers Adventure Club President). Finally, Glenn Nelson, founder and editor of The Trail Posse, led a thought-provoking conversation with Sally and Chip about the future of outdoor recreation and conservation.
Spending time with people who share a passion for creating and nurturing people’s connection to our wild places is energizing! We left grateful and optimistic knowing The Mountaineers is well-poised to build on its legacy of protecting the outdoor experience for future generations.
